A patient on long-term oral morphine therapy can be converted to transdermal fentanyl therapy.
Patient selection: opioid tolerant. Transdermal fentanyl must not be used for an opioid-naïve patient.
For the patch strength used in the USA and UK:
Daily Dose of Oral Morphine in mg |
Fentanyl Patch Delivery in µg per hour |
< 45 |
NA |
45 to 134 |
25 |
135 to 224 |
50 |
225 to 314 |
75 |
315 to 404 |
100 |
405 to 494 |
125 |
495 to 584 |
150 |
585 to 674 |
175 |
675 to 764 |
200 |
765 to 854 |
225 |
855 to 944 |
250 |
945 to 1025 |
275 |
1035 to 1124 |
300 |
> 1124 |
NA |
For the patch used in Germany the conversion is (Muijsers et al):
Daily Dose of Oral Morphine in mg |
Fentanyl Patch Delivery in µg per hour |
0 to 90 |
25 |
91 to 150 |
50 |
151 to 210 |
75 |
211 to 270 |
100 |
for every additional 60 mg |
another 25 µg/h |
fentanyl patch strength in mg=
= (fentanyl delivery in µg per hour) / 10
Specialty: Pharmacology, clinical
ICD-10: ,